The Abbey Insurance Ulster Rugby Academy secured a thrilling comeback win over Leinster in Donnybrook on Friday afternoon, overturning a 17 point deficit in the final 12 minutes.
Ulster opened the game brightly, with a number of strong drives and incisive running leading to a penalty converted by Callum Smith in the 3rd minute.
Ulster continue in similar fashion and almost added to their tally when it looked like Rory Butler had scored a try, only for the ball to be lost in the grounding. However, from the following scrum, Jonny Stewart fed Conor Kelly beat his direct opponent to score in the left corner.
The following 20 minutes were evenly contested, with the only score coming from a Leinster penalty.
On 28 minutes a neat chip to the corner was collected by the Leinster left wing, who got over for his side’s opening try, levelling up the scoreline.
With 5 minutes of the opening half remaining, approached Ulster regained the lead with Kelly getting over for his second try, following a neat offload from Callum Smith. However, Leinster ran in 14 points in a 4 minute spell before the break to give the home side a 22-13 lead at the interval. Firstly, Leinster were awarded a penalty try as Kelly was adjudged to have deliberately knocked the ball out in the goal area as he chased back a kick through. From the restart Leinster gained field possession and a speculative kick was gathered by the right ring to score.
Leinster came out of the blocks quickly in the second half, and notched an early penalty from the 10m line. 8 minutes later Ulster launched a strong attack and just as it looked like a try was forthcoming, another careless pass fell to the Leinster left wing who ran the length to touch down, leaving the scoreline 30-13 after 50 minutes.
For the next 20 minutes Ulster pressed but failed to convert the possession to scores as it looked like Leinster would close the match out.
The comeback started with a penalty try as the Ulster forwards drove forward a 5m scrum, to which Leinster had no choice but to wheel around to prevent the score.
Leinster kicked the restart deep, but Ulster immediately ran the ball hard, keeping it alive through a number of phases. Following a powerful surge on the left involving Kelly plus replacements Robert Baloucoune and Josh Jordan, an inside pass released captain Stewart to race home at the posts, to leave just 3 points behind the sides.
Playing with all the momentum now, Ulster once again went on the front foot from the restart, before spinning the ball wide to Angus Kernohan who cantered in on the right. Callum Smith’s conversion meant that Leinster would need a try to regain the lead, but Ulster held out for a 30-34 win.
Ulster opened the game brightly, with a number of strong drives and incisive running leading to a penalty converted by Callum Smith in the 3rd minute.
Ulster continue in similar fashion and almost added to their tally when it looked like Rory Butler had scored a try, only for the ball to be lost in the grounding. However, from the following scrum, Jonny Stewart fed Conor Kelly beat his direct opponent to score in the left corner.
The following 20 minutes were evenly contested, with the only score coming from a Leinster penalty.
On 28 minutes a neat chip to the corner was collected by the Leinster left wing, who got over for his side’s opening try, levelling up the scoreline.
With 5 minutes of the opening half remaining, approached Ulster regained the lead with Kelly getting over for his second try, following a neat offload from Callum Smith. However, Leinster ran in 14 points in a 4 minute spell before the break to give the home side a 22-13 lead at the interval. Firstly, Leinster were awarded a penalty try as Kelly was adjudged to have deliberately knocked the ball out in the goal area as he chased back a kick through. From the restart Leinster gained field possession and a speculative kick was gathered by the right ring to score.
Leinster came out of the blocks quickly in the second half, and notched an early penalty from the 10m line. 8 minutes later Ulster launched a strong attack and just as it looked like a try was forthcoming, another careless pass fell to the Leinster left wing who ran the length to touch down, leaving the scoreline 30-13 after 50 minutes.
For the next 20 minutes Ulster pressed but failed to convert the possession to scores as it looked like Leinster would close the match out.
The comeback started with a penalty try as the Ulster forwards drove forward a 5m scrum, to which Leinster had no choice but to wheel around to prevent the score.
Leinster kicked the restart deep, but Ulster immediately ran the ball hard, keeping it alive through a number of phases. Following a powerful surge on the left involving Kelly plus replacements Robert Baloucoune and Josh Jordan, an inside pass released captain Stewart to race home at the posts, to leave just 3 points behind the sides.
Playing with all the momentum now, Ulster once again went on the front foot from the restart, before spinning the ball wide to Angus Kernohan who cantered in on the right. Callum Smith’s conversion meant that Leinster would need a try to regain the lead, but Ulster held out for a 30-34 win.